1. Field of the Invention
The present invention broadly relates to a new and improved apparatus for receiving and delivering objects and to a method of using such apparatus. In its more specific aspects, the apparatus of the present development serves for receiving objects arranged in a first pattern and delivering such objects arranged in a second pattern.
2. Discussion of the Background and Material Information
In different fields of application of automatic series or mass production, there frequently exists the problem of removing objects from an infeed or delivery device within an operating cycle and to deliver a predetermined number of such objects to a subsequent processing station. A typical field of application is the fitting of components of electro-technical products with connection elements which serve for the production of electrical connections with other components. Thus, for example, printed circuit boards or plug and socket connectors must be fitted with a multiplicity of metallic contact elements which are soldered or pressed into openings provided for this purpose. As a general rule, the contact elements or contacts are infed upon bands, removed from such bands and delivered for further processing.
In German Published Patent No. 2,950,460, published Jun. 26, 1980, there is disclosed an apparatus for the insertion of connection pins into a workpiece. A clamping device removes the connection pins from a carrier or support strip and individually delivers the connection pins to an insertion device. Only one connection pin after the other can be inserted into the workpiece. When confronted with large scale series or mass production of plug and socket connectors or the like, this technique no longer affords economically acceptable production times.
It is also known to the art to completely fit individual contact rows of plug and socket connectors during one working operation, that is to say, to simultaneously provide all of the contact positions of a row with a contact element. In many fields of application not all of the contact elements are required. This results in the need to fit the actually required position with a contact element during the production operation, so that there can arise different "patterns" of the contact occupancy.
In the prior filed, commonly assigned, copending U.S. application Ser. No. 07/634,214, filed Feb. 1, 1991 (herein "the commonly assigned apparatus"), entitled "Device For Handling Objects and Use of Said Device", the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference, there is disclosed an apparatus or device where not only a plurality of objects are simultaneously grasped, but additionally, placed in a freely selectable mutual spacing from one another and in that condition can be thereafter delivered for further processing. This commonly assigned apparatus enables simultaneously incorporating a random number of objects into a processing or operating cycle, and the number of objects and their mutual spacing from one another can be freely selected within a predetermined pattern or array as a function of the momentarily encountered requirements. The pattern resolution is chosen such that each desired pattern, that is, every desired arrangement of the objects can be produced. As a result, it is possible in a very simple manner, for instance, in the previously mentioned specific field of application, to fit the rows of contacts or contact elements of plug and socket connectors according to a random desired pattern or configuration, that is to say, to also selectively leave predetermined or random desired contact positions devoid of contacts. The use of this commonly assigned apparatus renders possible, especially in the case of random patterns, to simultaneously prepare a set or package of contact elements corresponding to the desired contact element pattern, so that this previously prepared set of contact elements can be conjointly mounted, during a single operation, in appropriate openings of a carrier or support. In contrast to other mounting or fitting methods, the mounting or fitting method which can be performed with this commonly assigned apparatus results in an appreciable reduction in the time required for mounting or fitting of the contact elements.
It is to be mentioned, however, that such type of apparatus is not capable of withstanding too great mechanical loads. Thus, upon breakdown of such apparatus there results an appreciable downtime in the fabrication operation, usually accompanied by expensive repair work. Defects tend to especially occur during insertion or pressing-in of the objects into a body member. Thus, clamps or tongs which are used, for instance, in such apparatus for the handling of contact elements, are bent by the high thrust or pushing forces which arise when pressing these contact elements into the insulating body member of a plug and socket connector. As a result, it is not possible to precisely mount further contacts or contact elements. Moreover, the commonly assigned apparatus is itself even then subjected to load when the objects are only grasped and again delivered or outfed however, not mutually shifted with respect to one another.